Evidence-based practice is a holistic healthcare approach involving quality healthcare delivery with the most current nursing knowledge and proven research findings. Following emerging diseases, technological advancements, and new treatment methods, it is necessary for nurses to stay knowledgeable on the most modern nursing practice to enhance the health outcomes of patients. EBP focuses on providing patient-centered care toward achieving nursing goals, including promoting patient wellness and improving population health. With chronic ailments, it is guaranteed that the patient is due to spend most of their lives undergoing treatment; hence, introducing the best approach towards such a situation comes in handy. At this juncture, case management incorporates the patient’s and healthcare providers’ contentment concerns while focusing on cutting healthcare costs, optimizing treatment results, providing holistic care to provide the patient with quality life. This essay elucidates the current-based practices for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the significance of basing case management on current evidence, discussing published current guidelines, recommended treatment plans for T2DM, clinical pathways, and how they relate to T2DM.
Current Best EBPs for T2DM
The current best evidence-based practices for T2DM are a total lifestyle change, adopting a fitness routine, following a diet meal plan, regularly monitoring blood sugar, and embarking on a weight loss journey. First and foremost, diet therapy is the foundation for enhancing the quality of life of a T2DM patient and delaying the onset of chronic ailments such as T2DM. A rich carbs diet is among the top causes of obesity and excessive body fats among populations worldwide, especially for those who enjoy feeding fast food meals that are rich in saturated fats. Providing on large portions of carbohydrates while limiting all the other important nutrients is a looming danger to obesity (Gallagher et al., 2020). Additionally, obesity is the main trigger for the development and exacerbation of T2DM. For individuals who have already been diagnosed with this condition, it would be best to monitor blood sugar while at home or work to ensure your health is in check. Further, a total lifestyle change for these patients includes smoking cessation, avoiding drug abuse, and staying active to encourage full-body metabolism. The patient ought to feed on a low carb, moderate proteins/ fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables accompanied with fiber to supplement their treatments.
Significance of Establishing Case Management on Current Evidence
Establishing case management on current evidence is crucial to enhance treatment efficacy, uphold accountability, increase transparency, promote team spirit among the multi-disciplinary team, and engage the family in crucial decision-making. A case management approach helps optimize the patient’s self-care, promoting patient independence and reducing treatment or hospitalization expenses. Also, due to the involvement of various multi-disciplines in the patient’s treatment, the patient receives a holistic treatment approach that helps prevent recurrent hospitalizations, thus providing efficient treatment schedules (Gallagher et al., 2020). Incorporating case management with current evidence-based treatment schedules while handling T2DM patients promotes the continuum of care and enhances the quality of treatment. The nursing staff achieves job satisfaction since their patients respond better to the holistic treatment from various committed healthcare players.
Published Guidelines and Recommended Treatment Plans/ Blood Levels for T2DM
The recommended treatment plans for T2DM include the intake of prescribed medication such as Metformin alongside feeding on a nutritious diabetic meal guide, exercising to shed weight, and regular monitoring of blood sugar to stay healthy (Giardino & De Jesus, 2023). The medication helps regulate blood sugar levels by decreasing glucose production and enhancing the body’s reaction to insulin while regulating insulin usage. Some persons who may struggle with weight loss due to their dysfunctional metabolism may require a weight loss surgery intervention to extract extra unwanted fats.
T2DM patients require constant monitoring of their blood sugar levels and training on self-management to exercise a better quality of life. Different patients have different recommendations of blood sugar levels; hence, each patient is required to have a sitting with their physician to get the right levels for their body system (Giardino & De Jesus 2023). For a T2DB patient, they should maintain a 4-7 mmol/L blood glucose level before eating, and below 8.5 mmol/L blood glucose levels 1.5 hours later after eating. The purpose of regularly maintaining the blood sugar levels as recommended by health physician is to avoid escalating the risks of this condition which may lead to diabetes related complications such as kidney health issues, heart disease, or even nerve damage.
According to the published guidelines by Hodgkinson et al., (2018), end-of-life training among nursing staff became a necessity following Care Quality Commission suggestions, the requirement to enhance caregiving to nursing home residents, and as a by-product of nursing supervisory programs. The aim of nursing training was to boost hospice care from the various specialists involved in order to enhance the quality of care to chronically ill patients whilst providing them with patient-focused healthcare services. Considering that T2DM is a life-long health condition, instilling modern treatment methods to the various healthcare services that a patient receives contributes to the positive response of the patient towards treatment. The patient also gets used to their terminal care from a caring team of specialists who play the role of spiritual nourishment, physical, emotional and mental stimulation.
Clinical Pathways and how they relate to T2DM
Clinical pathways are the guidelines, applications, tools and facilities that have been put into place to ensure a successful continuum of care for long-term care patients with chronic conditions such as T2DM and prevent the aggravation of the patient’s condition. The main focus of these components is to enhance safe, quality care, efficient, and timely palliative care for chronically ill patients in a safe environment. T2DM is a life-long condition that requires constant attention and monitoring by the various healthcare providers involved in the treatment plan (Giardino & De Jesus 2023). Therefore, Clinical pathways align perfectly for this health condition considering that even if the patient can be taught self-care, the patient still requires frequent engagement with various health care providers and players such as dieticians, fitness coaches, physicians, and nurses. The role of care plans is to co-ordinate health practitioners to offer quality care at affordable costs while still enhancing patient outcomes while still preventing the advancement of T2DM to Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus.
All in all, this essay explores the current-based practices for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), significance of basing case management on current evidence, discussing published current guidelines, recommended treatment plans for T2DM, clinical pathways and how they relate to T2DM. The up-to-date best evidence-based practices for T2DM are a total lifestyle change, adopting a fitness routine, following a diet meal plan, regular monitoring of blood sugar, and embarking on a weight loss journey. It is crucial to establish case management on current evidence to improve treatment efficacy, uphold accountability, increase transparency, promote team spirit among the involved multi-disciplines, and engage the family in crucial decision-making. Suitable treatment plans for T2DM includes the intake of prescribed medication such as Metformin alongside feeding on a nutritious diabetic meal guide, exercising to shed weight and regular monitoring of blood sugar to stay healthy. T2DM patients require constant monitoring of their blood sugar levels and receiving training on self-management in order to exercise a better quality of life. End-of-life training among nursing staff became a necessity following Care Quality Commission suggestions, the requirement to enhance caregiving to nursing home residents, and as a by-product of nursing supervisory programs. Clinical pathways are the guidelines, applications, tools and facilities that have been put into place to ensure a successful continuum of care for long-term care patients with chronic conditions such as T2DM and prevent the aggravation of the patient’s condition.
References
Gallagher, A., Dopson, A., Brighton, D., & Nicholson, C. (2020). Confidence in end of life care: Developing the skills you need. Nursing Standard, 35(11), 56–58. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.35.11.56.s21
Giardino, A. P., & De Jesus, O. (2023, August 14). Case Management. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562214/
Hodgkinson, I., Vince, C., Aylott, C., Pamphilon, J., Chandler, J., & Chumbley, K. (2018). P-243 End of life care education within the nursing and residential home setting. Poster Presentations. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-hospiceabs.268
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